Socket terminals, such as tab receptacle terminals, which are adapted for quick make and break connections with a mating terminal or mating tab, are known. Terminals of this kind are used to make an electrical connection to a male or tab terminal which is inserted and frictionally held in the socket terminal. Socket terminals of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,193 and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/203,204, the latter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
It is often necessary to disconnect and reconnect such terminals a number of times, for example, for testing purposes prior to final inspection and shipment of the product on which such terminals are used. It is also required that the connection made with such terminals be maintained under conditions of vibration and possible strain in subsequent service. Traditionally, these terminals have been configured to provide a normal force to establish a stable mechanical and electrical connection between the mating tab and the tab receptacle terminal. However, due to the configuration of the tab receptacle terminal, such tab receptacle terminals often have undesirable high insertion forces. In addition, the spring members of the tab receptacle terminals may yield when mating occurs, causing the mechanical and electrical connection to fail.
It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a tab receptacle terminal which provides sufficient normal force while providing spring members with sufficient beam length to prevent yielding. It would also be beneficial to provide a tab receptacle terminal which provides sufficient clearance for the insertion of the tab while providing sufficient normal force to maintain the electrical connection between the tab receptacle terminal and the mating tab.